I'm sure I'll get blasted for posting this, but I don't care.

I wanted to thank Ron Dayne for four years of pure joy. Living in Wisconsin, I have been blessed with being able to watch his incredible exploits on the field, and to be touched by his quiet dignity. He, to me, is a hero in every sense.

For those unfamiliar with the man behind the jersey, or who don't follow college football, I'll post a few links, and reproduce a letter he recently wrote.

Ron Dayne Wins the Heisman Trophy

Great honor for a truly good guy.

Badgers' Dayne Has Other Passions

Finally, here's the letter, which was printed in today's edition of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, but which is not, to my knowledge, posted online.

He wrote this tribute, called "The Heisman", two months ago to his uncle, Rob Reid, who took him in when divorce and drugs split up Dayne's family:

I began to think about you and the Heisman Trophy.

I remember when I first came to live with you and Aunt Deb. The first thing we did was have a family meeting. All of us were sitting around the kitchen table -- you, Aunt Deb, Rob Jr., Jaquay and Joel.

You announced that no one was going to get any new clothes until I had as many outfits as everybody else. Well, Joel did not care about clothes then, Jaquay wore uniforms to school, but Rob got "swole". Rob had so many clothes it was ridiculous. And soon after that I did too. For that, Uncle Rob, you win the Heisman.

I remember you traveling with me on my college visits to Wisconsin and Ohio State. We hated Ohio State, didn't we Uncle Rob? That is why we beat them so badly last week. For traveling with me and helping me make the right decision, you win the Heisman.

Uncle Rob, you go see Rob play football in Virginia; you go see Jaquay run track in Virginia, but you still come out to Wisconsin to see me, too. For that Uncle Rob, you win the Heisman.

And when you do come out to Wisconsin, you slip one or two hundred dollar bills in my hand. For that Uncle Rob, YOU REALLY WIN THE HEISMAN.

When Rob left for college, I started to try some of our tricks, by myself, and got caught every time. We never got caught when Rob was home. Like when I squeezed out of the bathroom window one night to see a girl -- when I tried to get back in at 1 a.m., you had locked that window and the rest of the windows in the house. I had to ring that doorbell and look in your face. You never said a word. You didn't have to. For that, Uncle Rob, you win the Heisman.

Uncle Rob, for never making me feel like a nephew, but always making me feel like a SON, for that, Uncle Rob, you win the Heisman.

Love, Ron Dayne Jr. 33

Thanks again, Ron. May your success continue. You deserve it.

Steve, a diehard Badger fan who hopes the Rose Bowl goes off without a hitch

-- Steve (hartsman@ticon.net), December 12, 1999

Answers

YSU...YSU...YSU...YSU...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it' ain't one for the thunb, got that already, it's one for the pinky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- Vern (bacon17@ibm.net), December 12, 1999.

Huh?

-- Steve (hartsman@ticon.net), December 12, 1999.

Football.....hmmm.......Oh yeah-that's the one where the ball is not spherical,is that right?

-- Sam (Gunmkr52@aol.com), December 12, 1999.

Correct, Sam! Wanna go for the $250,000 question?

F*ck 'em Bucky!!

-- Steve (hartsman@ticon.net), December 12, 1999.

Here's the correct link for the first story above.

Here's Ron Dayne's acceptance speech:

Ron Dayne's speech upon being awarded the Heisman Trophy on Saturday:

"First I want to give an honor to God, for blessing me with my talents. I'd like to thank the Downtown Athletic Club, for honoring me with this great award.

I want to congratulate the finalists for a great season. I definitely want to congratulate my coaches and my teammates. Because if it wasn't for my teammates, I wouldn't be here today.

And I'd like to thank coach Alvarez for always being there for me. No matter what goes on, coach Alvarez is always there for me, treating me like a son.

Coach (Bernie) Wyatt, for recruiting me and being a person I can come and talk to from the East Coast. Coach (Brian) White, for being the best running backs coach in the country.

Coach, I don't know what to say. I'm just so honored and blessed that I had you as a coach. You taught me to be a great father.

(Sports information director) Steve Malchow for helping me with all my media hoopla. Wisconsin's academic staff, for just being there for us all the time, every athlete.

I don't know - there are so many people I would like to thank. I'd like to thank Hop (Ron Hopson, a high school administrator) for being there for me and believing in me, my mom, my dad.

My daughter Jada, for being the biggest inspiration in my life. My girl, Alia, for being there. My sister, for being there for me. Everybody.

And finally, I'd like to thank the real Heisman winner to me, my uncle Rob. For always being there for me, having somebody to talk to, to call on the phone and make jokes, everything. I love you.

Thank you again for this great award, and I'm honored.

-- Steve (hartsman@ticon.net), December 12, 1999.

-- Steve (hartsman@ticon.net), December 12, 1999.

Sorry. Here's a great p hoto. Gotta love that smile. Congrats again! Roll over Stanford for about 400 yards!!

Day ne photo gallery.

-- Steve (hartsman@ticon.net), December 12, 1999.

To the tune of the old Budweiser beer jingle (best sung with 80,000 people while slightly inebriated)..........

When you say Wisconsin, you've said it all!

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), December 13, 1999.

He forgot to thank Peter Warrick - by far, the BEST college football player in 1999 - for getting into legal trouble so that he could win.

-- SEC-Fan (SEC-Fan@sec-football.rules), December 13, 1999.

Sorry about that. Thanks, Peter.

-- Ron Dayne (dayne@thirty.three), December 14, 1999.